Case with double-acting spring hinge



y 1950 R. w. HYDE 2,506,789

' CASE WITH DOUBLE-ACTING SPRING HINGE Filed June 15, 1946 2 She'ets-Sheet 1 7 20 203 4 mam? WHYDE 2/ 2/4 I INVENTOR F568 4 w a wymw ATTO RN EY May 9, 1950 R. w. HYDE 2,506,789

CASE WITH DOUBLE-ACTING SPRING HINGE Filed June 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H057 w mm INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 9, 1950 4 STATES PATENT OFFICE CASE "WIT-HDOUBLEZAGTINGT SPRING HINGE Robert-W. Hyde, Teaneok; N. J. ApplicatlonJune-li, 1946,1Serial No. 677,073

My; invention relates 13018411" improved" case sec 4 .Glaims. (Ch 206M115 tion and hinge and locking constrnctionforruse factured; and which can be assembled with a maximum of ease;

It is'a further obiect of my inventiontorprovi'de such a device havingra: minimum of" parts which will withstand long usage without thernormal effectsof wear and breakage:

As i will become apparent" upon a reading of this-specification, my constructionmay comprise a; minimum of parts, including onlytwo identical case sections and a lock hinge; the lockhinge b'eingmovable relative *to the case-sectionswhen the case is opened or closed in amanner which will" always keep the sections in proper position for hinging movements-upon opening" and: closing: the case. Also; the lockhinge moves-into such a position during the closing: of the case that it willretainrthe casein closed position unmanuall'y reopened, and upon reopening of the case the-lock hinge moves into a different position-so that it will keep the case open until manually closed. Other parts mayals'o'be includedin my invention, as when: used -in-"connection Wlth'a oigaret' case, as will"'sub'sequently ape pear:

In order that/the exact nature of my invention may beunderstood; referenceis made to'the ac- "oompanying drawings wherein Figs 1 is an exterior end view'of a typicalfcas'e which may form apart of'my invention;

Fig: 2 is "a perspective view: of the interior portion of 'the left and right case sections, slightly separated and arrangedto: showrtheir interfitting structures;

Fig. 3 is a perspective 'view' oflthevlockhinge. Fig? 4+is a'partial cross-sectional view" taken on-a-vertical plane=through 'azportionof the case to be later described, andshowing-the-'- position' of thelock hinge when the case sections are closed".

Fig: 5' is a cross sectional viewtaken on the same planeas Fig. 4, butshowing*the position of Reference-isrnow made =-to=-Ffga I which-is anend'view of myimproved case, and it willbersecn that it comprises two sections I 0 and I 0a: which are-identical, each-section having a lip ll .or"l la, the two lipsbeing arranged to about against one another 'whenzthe case is closed. It may also'lbe stated at this point thatthe lips' H and Ha also run along the top of each of'the sections aswell as theopposite ends so as to extend-about threequarters' of the way around the caselwhen the case isolosed;

In -Fig; 2 it will beseen that the section. It) comprises a side wall" M having integral therewith the' curved end walls l6 and I8, shaped; as shown; and integral with which isthe previously mention-edlip H. The-bottom 200i section.l0- is also-"integral'withthe side-wall l4-and ends I5 and i3, andas also' seen in Fig. 1, is generally rounded upon the outside but has-a substantially flat surface'atii As best seen in Fig. 2'; integral "with the upwardlysloping flatsurfaceil is the parallel 'to*the--main side wall i4. Also integral with the flatportion- '21: of bottom 2!] are the inter- 2*allparts' =ofthe section Hid are identified by thesame number as the corresponding part of section it; with the-exception that'tlie sufflirpa has been used to; denote the partsof section I (la:

The rightsection Ilia is identical in all respects with the left "section 10, as will be apparentupon an inspectionof Fig; 2, and whenthe-two sections are placed together in-their assembled positions, thertabs of *the two sections interlock for hinging actionab'out the axis-'35.- When so positioned,- it will be appreciatedthat the interlock tabs 32,33 and'34 engage-the upper edgeof'flat surface Zia of';'bottom"2iia of section Mia, and that the tabs 3211;" 33wand34a engage the upper edge of flat surface 2| of bottom'2ll ofsection In so that the two sections may move relative toone another only'about-the axis 35 along the lower edgesof "th'e'sixitabs: Accordingly, the only motion permissible between thetwo sections, when assembledgisa hinging'action; 1 I

Reference is now made to Fig; 3'which'is' aperspectiveview of "the novel hinge 'lock'which' forms *amimportantpartof my invention, and to Fig; 4

which is" a vertical cross sectional view taken through-the indentations 28 and sea; with the sections I B and "i Elttin' the closedposition. 'A-siniil'anvi'ew through the indentations flfiandiziia, with the'caseclosediisshowninFig;5.-=

44 to member 40, and the bend between members 42 and 48 forms the elbow 4'1. In Fig. 3 it will be seen that the inherent resilience of the lock hinge 36 compresses the elbows 39 and 41 toward one another, and that these elbows will engage in the absence of any elements inserted therebetween.

The entire hinge lock shown in Fig. 3 is preferably integral, as shown, and is preferably formed of light, resilient metal stock.

In Fig. 4 it will be seen that when the case sections I5 and lfla are closed together the indentations 28 and 30a incline upwardly and inwardly to form two converging surfaces, and the inherent resiliency of the lock hinge members 40 and 42 which always presses the elbows 39 and 41 inwardly is sufficient to cause the elbows 39 and -41 to slide upwardly along the indentations 28 and 30a until they engage the lips 29 and 29a of the indentations, at which position they will stop.

-' It should be particularly noted that in the closed position the elbows 39 and 41 press the indentations 28 and 28a inwardly at a point above the hinge axis 35, and therefore that the hinge lock 36 will keep the sections closed until later manually opened. In the closed position the walls 22 and 22a abut one another.

' Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view through the indentations 28 and 30a when the case sections are opened, and it will be appreciated that a similar view through the indentations 30 and 28a, under corresponding circumstances, would appear the same. When the case sections are opened the indentations 3|] and 28a incline downwardly and inwardly, and the inherent resiliency of the lock hinge 36 causes the elbows 39 and 41 to slide downwardly, the elbows 39 and 41 applying opposite forces against the lower inside edges of the indentations, keeping the walls 2| and Zia flush against one another. It should be particularly noted that the pressures exerted by the-elbows 39 and 41 when the sections are opened are applied below the axis 35, and so the lock hinge 36 keeps the sections opened until they are later manually closed.

It will be appreciated that the indentations 30 and 28a function with respect to the lock hinge in the same manner as the indentations 28 and 30a. It should be noted the hinging action always occurs about the axis 35, and that at all times the hinge lock 36 forces the two sections and Ilia so that they engage along axis 35.

When it is desired to use my improved construction in connection with a cigaret case, a pair of cigaret holders like the one designated generally by 52 in Fig. 6 may be used. This holder may comprise a base 54 and two rows of upwardly extending members 55 and 58, integral with the -case 54, separated as shown, the interior sides of the members 56 and 58 having concave portion 56a and 58a so that each pair of oppositely disposed concave portions may receive and hold a Referring now to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the base 54 of the holder 52 extends parallel to side wall ['4 and may be aflixed upon the bridge 38 of the lock hinge 36 by rivets 60 (only one shown). A second holder 52a, having a base 54a and fingers 56a and 58a like holder 52, may be aflixed upon the right side of bridge 38 by rivets 60a (only one shown).

It will be appreciated that the row of cigarets held by holder 52 is, when the sections are closed, contained within section l0, while those held by holder 52a are contained within section Illa.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that when the case is opened, the bridge member 38, being more resilient along its center because it is not there reinforced by the bases 54 and 54a, will bend slightly and that the fingers 56 and 58 of the two holders 52 will form a V, as will the cigarets held thereby. The side walls l4 and Ila move away from the fingers so that the cigarets held thereby may be easily grasped and removed from the case.

In the event it is desired, as may be the instance when my invention is used in conjunction with other types of cases than cigaret cases, the bridge member 38 may be made sufiiciently strong to keep it from bending when the case is opened. The cigaret holder moves upwardly upon opening the case sections, thereby rendering the cigarets readily accessible, and moves downwardly when the case sections are closed.

In the assembly of the case sections and lock hinge, the case sections are first placed in proper relative position with the tabs interlocking the sections, and the sections are opened. The lock hinge is then angularly inclined at about 45 degrees to the walls 22 and 22a, parallel to them, and the lower end of the lock hinge is pressed downwardly so that the lower end of elbow 39 is inside wall 22 and the lower end of elbow 41 is inside wall 22a, at points near the slots 24 and 25a. The lock hinge is then slid toward the indentations 28 and 380. so the lower ends of the elbows are below these indentations. The outer end of the lock hinge is pressed downwardly. and by means of any suitable separating tool, the outer ends of the elbows 39 and 41 may be separated and then pushed downwardly so that the elbows engage the inner surfaces of indentations 3!] and 28a. Y

In view of the above it will be appreciated that my invention comprises a novel and highly useful hinge arrangement which may be easily and cheaply made, adaptable for use with a casing comprising identical main sections which also may be easily and cheaply fabricated. The lock hinge may be easily placed in operative position with respect to the casing sections, and when the lock hinge and case sections are assembled the lock hinge keeps the case closed or open, as the case may be, and holds the case sections in proper position for the hinging action during opening and closing of the case.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes may be made in the disclosed embodiment of my invention without departing from the substance thereof. Also, it is clear that my invention is not restricted for use in connection with cigaret cases. All such changes in construction and use in connection with other types of cases are intended to be covered by the following claims.

I claim;

1. In a case construction of the type described,

--thecombination of a pair of opposed vertically disposed case sections, means interlocking the two case sections to locate a horizontal hinge axis, means comprising a part of each section located on opposite sides of said axis and forming surfaces extending from below said axis to above said axis, when said case is oriented in a preselected position, so that when the case sections are closed said surfaces incline inwardly and upwardly and when said case sections are open said surfaces incline downwardly and inwardly, and a resilient hinge member having surfaces arranged to bear against the said surfaces of said case sections to slide along the same in response to relative movements of said sections.

2. In a case construction of the type described, the combination of a pair of opposed vertically disposed case sections, means interlocking the two case sections to locate a horizontal hinge axis, means comprising a part of each section located on opposite sides of said axis and forming surfaces extendin from below said axis to above said axis, when said case is oriented in a preselected position, so that when the case sections are closed said surfaces converge toward a second axis above said first axis and when said case sections are open said surfaces converge toward a third axis below said first axis, and a resilient hinge member having separate parts arranged to bear against the mentioned surfaces of said case sections in opposite directions and toward a plane through said three described axes.

3. In a case construction of the type described, the combination of a pair of opposed vertically disposed case sections, means interlocking the case sections to form a horizontal hinge axis, each of said sections comprising an upper and a lower angularly disposed surface joining along the hinge axis, means comprising a part of each of said sections displaced from its associated angularly disposed surfaces and forming a bearing surface extending from below said axis to above said axis, when said case is oriented in a preselected position, so that when the sections are closed said surfaces incline inwardly and upwardly and when said sections are open said surfaces incline downwardly and inwardly, and resilient compression means having a part arranged to bear against and slide along each of said bearing surfaces from one side of said axis to the other side of said axis when the case sections are moved, whereby the upper angularly disposed surfaces are pressed together by said compression means when the case sections are closed and the lower angularly disposed surfaces are pressed together by said compression means when the case sections are opened.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which the bearin surfaces of the resilient hinge member are connected by a bridge member carrying a holder for a plurality of cigarets.

ROBERT W. HYDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 890,703 Pedersen June 16, 1908 1,160,931 Mendelson Nov. 16, 1915 1,740,866 McBarron Dec. 24, 1929 2,287,903 Rathbun June 30, 1942 2,372,708 Bugenhagen Apr. 3, 1945 

